[phpBB Debug] PHP Notice: in file /includes/bbcode.php on line 121: preg_replace(): The /e modifier is no longer supported, use preg_replace_callback instead[phpBB Debug] PHP Notice: in file /includes/bbcode.php on line 121: preg_replace(): The /e modifier is no longer supported, use preg_replace_callback instead[phpBB Debug] PHP Notice: in file /includes/bbcode.php on line 121: preg_replace(): The /e modifier is no longer supported, use preg_replace_callback instead[phpBB Debug] PHP Notice: in file /includes/bbcode.php on line 121: preg_replace(): The /e modifier is no longer supported, use preg_replace_callback insteadGeocaching Australia - View topic - funding a dedicated server

I'm all for a user pays system, but as I very very rarely visit geocaching.com.au (because I'm not interested in GCA caches, stats or logging my finds through there) I would not like to be asked to fund that part of the site/server.

On the other hand, I visit the forum quite regularly and get quite a lot of enjoyment from there.

So, as a suggestion, would it be an acceptable compromise if you were to split off the geocaching.com.au part to an external server and introduce some sort of (user pays) premium membership - while maintaining the forum as a freebie?

No doubt advertising and premium membership fees is what sustains GC.com to a large extent, but it is a legal entity.

The history of GC.com is also relevant in that geocaching was to be a community activity not "owned" by any one person. Unfortunately Groundspeak owns "geocaching.com" and are at liberty to do what they wish with the domain. Heaven forbid if they fell over at any time.

Whilst having some non legal entity would seem ideal, it has inherent dangers. Creating an association isn't that complicated and "meetings" can be conducted on-line as could elections for office bearers. The office bearers can then outsoure the IT specifics to ideology or whomever they wish. BUT at the end of the day the association owns "geocaching.com.au", not any individuals.

We have 5,000 registered users, no doubt someone can check as to how many are active users. Assuming only 20% are active, that's 1,000 users who if they became members with an annual membership fee of $5 would be able to support the ongoing running of the webiste.

Others could still access the website, but won't be able to vote for office bearers and be involved, all be it in a small way, in the future development of the association. All there would eb would be a small area for "Members Only" information (ie voting, regulations, etc.)

This is after all a semi-professional activity and as much as we want to keep it informal, there always needs to be some ground rules for particpation.

Sorry if this offends purists who believe a totally unrestrictive process can continue to maintain the website.

I like the donation idea. Instead of of worring about a surplus, remember the old fundraising signs in front of schools and hospitals that use to say when the required amount was reached. That way people who want to donate can and when the the limit is reached that's the end of it.

I like the donation idea. Instead of of worring about a surplus, remember the old fundraising signs in front of schools and hospitals that use to say when the required amount was reached. That way people who want to donate can and when the the limit is reached that's the end of it.

I like this idea as well.An alternative is that any excess funds be held over for the next year or used to upgrade the service and/or used in some form to make the coders / Fairies lives easier

I like the donation idea. Instead of of worring about a surplus, remember the old fundraising signs in front of schools and hospitals that use to say when the required amount was reached. That way people who want to donate can and when the the limit is reached that's the end of it.

I like this idea as well.An alternative is that any excess funds be held over for the next year or used to upgrade the service and/or used in some form to make the coders / Fairies lives easier

Sounds good to me, I'm more than happy to throw in $1 a week to cover the amusement and information I get from the forums IF it keeps the ads off my screen.

While I don't mind the idea of paying a bit to support the information I can get off the site, and of course the biggest part being the forums - the problem with having a "donate" paypal button is would the Tax Office then decide that is income for whoever's account it goes into? And could that person then declare the costs of running the server against that? I would suggest that if a "legal entity"/association isn't formed then tax advice would be appropriate.<p>

So I vote for creating an association. The benefits of membership to be decided by a group discussion on what bonuses people get. Perhaps advertising (which could be done legally then), with the option of members not getting the ads. Non members get the ads with an "opt-out of ads by joining" message.

As for creating an association, I don't think we need to be too worried about this. Yes any association needs rules. And some of those rules are laid down by law - I'm thinking of the radio club I am in (and back on the Committee now I have moved back to Sydney). However those mandatory rules don't relate to things like what members can and can't do in the hobby, they refer to things like quorums for meetings (which can be even 5-10 people, hey just have an event); a few statutory positions like President, Treasurer, Secretary; the need for an Annual General Meeting and so on.<p>

Any other rules are totally up to the association, so we don't have to tell people how to play the game.<p>

Legal advice would be required to set up an association, but I am sure someone in this group must be a lawyer and could draw up a basic constitution. It simply needs to define in broad terms what the purpose of the group is, the mandatory rules and so on. As a non profit organisation costs are quite low for registration, you need to send a copy of the annual financial statement (up to you if it is formally audited or not) and AGM minutes to the Office of Business Affairs or whatever in the state it is incorporated in and that is pretty much it.<p>

The radio club has about 150 members with annual subs of around $40 per year. That supports printing a 20-32 page A4 magazine each month and posting to all the members. Plus the mandatory overheads such as insurance. So you can see that the annual income versus costs does not have to be huge, especially as the postage/printing costs are non existent for what we want to do. <p>

If anyone wants more info let me know and I can find out some more from the Club Secretary. We would just need to decide which state it is to be incorporated in (that doesn't limit committee people to that state - for example the radio club is incorporated in Victoria yet all current committee positions are held by people in NSW), set up a bank account with a few signatories and hey presto. <p>

Interesting ideas there richary, I was wondering what we'd have to do if we collected any donations etc....

(The following is only my opinion, and does not represent any of the other interested parties)

One thing I would like people to consider is that if any entity that needs to be set up it should be purely for the running of the website, not a 'Australian Geocaching Association' (not that anyone has suggested it in this thread yet....just thought I'd try and nip it in the bud)

I say this for 2 reasons:
1) Our immediate problem is getting $$ to run the site as we would like, without impacting on i!'s resources, and that is our immediate (and only) priority right now.
2) The philosophy maintained by those who look after the site do not necessarily run in-line with popular opinion on how things should be done. 'Free and Open' isn't something we just say for fun. 'Pay for Play' or 'Pay for data' should not be considered.

Theres more, but I'll save it

Once again : (The above is only my opinion, and does not represent any of the other interested parties)Keep the ideas flowing!

Last edited by CraigRat on 30 January 08 9:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.